Monthly Archives: September 2011

Some of my favorite weddings that I have seen lately are in Italy. I am not sure if it is the photography, location, couple or all of the above, but there is just something special about them. Lindsay and Mark’s wedding at Villa del Balbianello in Lake Como, Italy is so intimate and so special. Like Lindsay said: it was love at first sight.

From the beautiful children in attendance to the couple’s dog, which stood by them at the altar, and all of the special moments in between, it is a must see. One of the reasons why I love this image so much is not because it actually says all that much, but I just feel like they might have been sneaking off and photographer Corbin Gurkin stole a moment in time on his camera. Enjoy!

Thank you so much to Corbin Gurkin of Corbin Gurkin Photography for letting us share it with you. Be sure to look out for the full feature on Monday. Have a great weekend!

Discover aloha enchantment in the world’s most romantic tropical paradise, Hawaii. In the Hawaiian palace there lies a scenic crescent of white sand beaches and a magnificent resort for weddings and honeymoons, The Four Season Resort Maui at Wailea. The Four Seasons Resort is elegant and offers vistas of pure rapture. The Four Seasons Maui offers unique services and cuisine that creates perfect moments to last a lifetime. We had time to chat with the Wedding Manager of The Four Seasons Maui, Denise Black. Denise is no stranger to weddings; prior to her career with the Four Seasons she operated her own wedding company. Denise was able to answer a few questions about the special services and touches that she offers each couple who chooses to get married at The Four Seasons Resort Maui.GO: What is your unique role when it comes to a couple’s wedding day and how does your property distinguish a couple’s experience as opposed to getting married somewhere else? DB: My roll is to transform wedding dreams into reality. I pride myself on paying personal attention to every last detail of the wedding experience to ensure that the couple’s expectations will not only be met but exceeded. Upon entering into a wedding contract, Four Seasons Resort Maui makes a special vow to the couple—one of exclusivity. We only host one wedding per day, in order to give the bride and groom our entire focus, and to make sure that this is truly their special day.

GO: From start to finish, what can a couple expect if they choose to get married at your property? DB: On Maui, we are in a unique position, as many couples use our property for both their wedding as well as their honeymoon—around here, we call this experience a “weddingmoon”! From the beginning stages of planning to the big event to the last day of the weddingmoon, our couples have a dedicated and personal planner, who acts as their liaison between their hometown and all the best Maui has to offer. And, of course, each stage of the process is tended to with Four Seasons’ trademark service standards.

GO: If you had to describe your property in three words, what would they be? DB: Romantic, tropical and enchantment!

GO: What are the unique locations that a couple can host their ceremony and reception at in your venue? DB: Plumeria Point – Our most secluded venue, Plumeria Point is nestled along the Sculpture Garden. Plumeria trees created a natural arch, enhancing the beauty of the venue and exuding the intoxicating scent of one of the island’s most popular flowers. The venue can accommodate up to 40 guests.

Plumeria Garden – The lush setting of the Plumeria Garden offers gorgeous vistas of the twinkling Pacific and majestic West Maui Mountains between the well-manicured flora and fauna of our Sculpture Garden. The venue can accommodate up to 90 guests.

GO: Do you have areas where a couple can elect to take their wedding pictures at your property? DB: The most popular places for our couples to shoot their wedding photos are our beautiful gardens, tropical hales, grand staircase, by our signature fountains, and, of course, gorgeous Wailea Beach, which offers the island’s most spectacular sunsets. More adventurous guests have created amazing images by splashing around in the ocean and even opting for underwater photography in our Serenity Pool!

GO: Do you have customizable packages? Tell me a little bit about them? DB: We have several packages available for couples to choose from. Often times, however, these provide us with a starting point. From there, we customize details and add enhancements to create a personalized affair.

GO: Food is such an important element at a wedding; tell me about your menus/culinary team? DB: Our culinary team boasts some of the most talented chefs in the islands. In fact, our Executive Chef Roger Stettler has even been certified as a Master Chef, the highest attainable accreditation. Among all of our chefs, there is definitely a running theme of culinary creativity, and we offer customized menus for events from rehearsal luaus to bridal luncheons to the wedding dinner, of course!
Not to be outdone, our Pastry Chef Rhonda Ashton-Chavez holds her own in the world of delectables! The wedding cake has so much meaning for brides and grooms, and Chef Ashton-Chavez’s creations are truly inspirational.

GO: What is the first thing a couple should do if they are interested in getting married at your property? DB: Above all, we want our brides and grooms to have a wedding experience that’s perfect for them. We encourage interested individuals to call and speak to myself or our wedding staff to see if we are a good match.

To me, there is nothing sexier then a man wearing a tailored suit and carrying a sleek briefcase. We all know that men love watches for gifts, but how about this Gucci diamond-patterned briefcase? It’s a fantastic look for the young working gent. Cheers and Happy Thursday!

Everyone always asks me why I choose weddings and my answer is always a very vague, but distinct: it has to give me a feeling; the photography has to be strong. And I think that Sarah and Stephen’s wedding in the hill country of Austin, Texas and photographed by Amelia Tarbet, does just that.

Oddly enough, I was speaking with an employee yesterday and we got to talking about a different kind of love, a special kind of love, where you can just see the way the couple looks at each other (sometimes without even knowing it). I think every woman and man wants to be loved that way. While Sarah and Stephen might win the kissing award, every look, every stolen smooch, evokes that feeling. I hope you enjoy this wedding as much as I did.

Sarah Kirchhofer and Stephen Dearnley Schoeffel
Married in Austin, Texas on July 17, 2010

Sarah Kirchhofer is from Dallas, Texas and Steve Schoeffel is from Charlottesville, Virginia. They met while attending Duke University where they both played lacrosse. “We had quite a few mutual friends,” says Sarah. “We both went to the same Christian ministry for athletes, and toward the end of college, found ourselves spending more and more time together.” But it wasn’t until Sarah’s last semester—Stephen was a year behind her—that the two started dating.

From then on, much of the relationship was spent long distance with Sarah was working in Washington, D.C., and Stephen finishing school. Weekend visits, summer weddings and family vacations were some of the only times that they were able to see each other in person. Come the fall of Stephen’s last year at Duke, he and Sarah, along with a number of their friends, were planning to be in Charlottesville for a long weekend. “It seemed the perfect time to propose,” says Stephen.

Earlier in the year, “my grandparents had given me a gorgeous engagement ring that had been in the family for multiple generations,” describes Stephen. “I had gotten it sized up and had been able to sit down with Sarah’s dad about a month before.” So, right before dusk that Friday in October, Stephen and Sarah hiked to a spot up on the Blue Ridge Mountains, close to Sarah’s parent’s home. Once at the top, “we sat enjoying some wine and food and took in the view of the entire valley. Although there wasn’t a perfect—or even visible—sunset,” smiles Stephen, “the proposal couldn’t have gone better.”

In planning the wedding, Sarah and Stephen wanted something that had elegance without being overly formal, so they decided on Austin as opposed to Dallas because “Austin seemed to offer more personality and a unique feel. Austin has such a fun atmosphere and vibe, and we were drawn to some of the hill country venues slightly outside of the city. We loved the idea of an outdoor wedding and despite the extreme summer heat, we went for it!” says Sarah. And, right on cue, it was incredibly hot, but things cooled off a bit for the reception and “we had an incredible time dancing with friends and enjoying the night,” says Sarah and Stephen. Afterwards they honeymooned in Costa Rica and also spent a week driving up the Pacific Coast Highway in California, staying in little bed and breakfasts along the way.

These hot “Harrison” pumps by Brian Atwood ooze sex appeal. Let your inner wild child be released with these ultra sassy leopard-print, calf hair pumps. These shoes command attention and will certainly have heads turning. Pair with a chic Chanel clutch and get ready to hit the town. Cheers and Happy Wednesday!

I wanted to share this video today because it doesn’t just show a love story, it feels like a mini movie. Although both Anjhula and Satish are very private people and did not even allow cameras at their wedding, they have agreed to let us share their video with you because they are so happy with the finished product. They both feel that great art must be shared with the world, and “every time I see the video, it stirs my soul,” says Anjhula.

Once upon a time and four years ago in central London, a chance meeting took place. The protagonists in this story — a tall and handsome Sri Lankan and a lovely and passionate Rajput Princess — met at a dinner party planned by their two Greek friends from university. As the only non-Greeks at this dinner, the two started talking. Fast forward two years, and both were studying at Columbia University in New York, enjoying lunches on campus and numerous late night slices of pizza following business school socials.

As a model, Anjhula has had the opportunity to shoot with the best photographers around the world. Every vendor and detail of her wedding was meticulously chosen, taking into account the talent that each person would be able to provide, making her wedding day perfect. Anjhula selected Yaro from CoutureCinema because he takes his craft very seriously. Anjhula notes: “Everyone does a video which captures the events sequentially and monotonously. Yaro and I created a film, cinema, magic. It is visual art.”

Anjhula’s family hails from Banswara in Rajasthan, India. To preserve the traditions and customs passed down through her family for centuries, they felt that the ideal backdrop would have to be the Royal Palace. Their guests (from more than 28 countries, which included royalty, Bollywood actors, athletes, and heads of state) had their luggage ferried in upon royal armory and camels. Upon arrival, each guest was presented with a kurta or saree to wear at functions, and left with silver coins. In regal fashion, their guests resided in air-conditioned tents in the desert and enjoyed access to hookah lounges day and night. A friendly game of elephant polo served as the ice breaker event on the first day. On the second day, their friends from around the world performed to Bollywood numbers and white-gloved waiters served them a sit-down dinner on silver during the reception. Come the wedding day, Satish arrived on an elephant bedecked with precious jewels and carrying a 100-year-old sword.

The couple decided to forsake gifts and instead asked their guests to contribute to their chosen charities. Everything from the flowers to the tents were locally and organically sourced, helping the local economy where the majority of people live below the poverty line. Even though there was pressure to import flowers and use a fountain, they opted to not have a carbon footprint and thought about the persistent water shortage and said no to both. With that spirit, Anjhula believes that “you know you have found the right person when you’re not so busy looking at each other, but rather in the same direction.”

Feel like the Bell of the Ball in this stunning necklace by Lanvin! This chic accessory will have every guest at your wedding saying, “I Do!” with its exquisite charm and vintage appeal. Cheers and Happy Wednesday!